Ethicon Highlights New Capabilities to Reduce Exposure to Surgical Smoke at the Association of PeriOperative Nurses (AORN) Conference

NEW ORLEANS, March 26, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- This week, during the Association of PeriOperative Nurses (AORN) Global Surgical Conference and Expo in New Orleans, Ethicon*, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies**, is demonstrating its commitment to support health care systems in accelerating adoption of smoke evacuation plans. With the addition of MEGADYNE™ core energy offering to its portfolio, Ethicon now offers smoke evacuation capabilities that are designed to reduce the exposure of patients and OR teams to surgical smoke.

Surgical smoke can decrease site visibility and impact air quality in the OR. Electrosurgical smoke has been shown to contain many potentially harmful components including: toxic gas and vapors1; bioaerosols, including dead and living cell material, blood fragments and viruses2; and mutagenic and carcinogenic compounds1. The smoke condensate from burning 1 gram of tissue has been shown to be equivalent to that of up to six unfiltered cigarettes3.

"At the entrance of every hospital is a smoke free icon indicating that the hospital is smoke free. However, in the operating room the use of electrosurgical equipment may create hazardous smoke. There is a realization that reducing electrosurgical smoke in the operating room is important," says Andrew Ekdahl, President, Ethicon US. "With our MEGADYNE portfolio, Ethicon is working with hospitals to support their plans to reduce surgical smoke for the benefit of every patient and every member of the operating room team."

Across the U.S., awareness and advocacy is growing to address surgical smoke. Both AORN and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommend surgical smoke be removed by use of a smoke evacuation system in both open and laparoscopic cases4.

During AORN, Ethicon will offer continuing education courses on surgical smoke reduction presented by Kay Ball, RN, PhDτ, a leading nurse educator. Nurses will be invited to sign a signature wall in the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices booth to pledge their commitment to a smoke free OR. For each signature, Ethicon will make a donation to the American Lung Association.

Ethicon will also feature new products from its energy, biosurgery and wound closure portfolios, including:

These products will be demonstrated in the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices exhibit booth (1113) along with a comprehensive portfolio of product innovations, education and training, and support programs from Ethicon, DePuy Synthes and Advanced Sterilization Products, as well as CareAdvantage from the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies**** and its infection risk management capability https://www.careadvantagejjmdc.com/featured-capabilities/infection-risk-management. In its 65th year as a sponsor of AORN, the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies is continuing its commitment to helping nurses ensure the best care and outcomes for their patients. Follow us on Twitter @Ethicon for the latest updates from the conference.

About the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies

The Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies' purpose is to reach more patients and restore more lives. Having advanced patient care for more than a century, these companies represent an unparalleled breadth of products, services, programs and research and development capabilities in surgical technology, orthopaedics, cardiovascular and specialty solutions with an offering directed at delivering clinical and economic value to health care systems worldwide.

About Ethicon

From creating the first sutures, to revolutionizing surgery with minimally invasive procedures, Ethicon, part of the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, has made significant contributions to surgery for more than 60 years. Our continuing dedication to Shape the Future of Surgery is built on our commitment to help address the world's most pressing health care issues, and improve and save more lives. Through Ethicon's surgical technologies and solutions including sutures, staplers, energy devices, trocars and hemostats and our commitment to treat serious medical conditions like obesity and cancer worldwide, we deliver innovation to make a life-changing impact. Learn more at www.ethicon.com, and follow us on Twitter @Ethicon.

EVICEL® Fibrin Sealant (Human) IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Indication

EVICEL® Fibrin Sealant (Human) is indicated as an adjunct to hemostasis for use in patients undergoing surgery, when control of bleeding by standard surgical techniques (such as suture, ligature, or cautery) is ineffective or impractical.

Contraindications

Do not inject directly into the circulatory system. Intravascular application of EVICEL® may result in life-threatening thromboembolic events.

Do not use in individuals known to have anaphylactic or severe systemic reaction to human blood products.

Do not use for the treatment of severe or brisk arterial bleeding.

Do not use EVICEL® for spraying in endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures where the minimum recommended distance from the applicator tip to the target site cannot be ensured.

Warnings and Precautions

Life-threatening air or gas embolism has occurred with the use of spray devices employing a pressure regulator to administer EVICEL®. This event appears to be related to the use of the spray device at pressures higher than recommended and/or at distances closer than recommended to the surface of the tissue.

Monitor changes in blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, and end-tidal CO2 when spraying EVICEL® because of the possibility of gas embolism.

To reduce the risk of potentially life-threatening gas embolism, spray EVICEL® using only pressurized CO2 gas at the pressures and distances recommended for the specific tips.

Use EVICEL® spray application only if it is possible to accurately judge the spray distance, especially during endoscopic or laparoscopic procedures.

Prior to applying EVICEL®, dry surface areas of the wound by standard techniques (e.g. intermittent application of compresses, swabs, use of suction devices). Prepare and administer EVICEL® according to the instructions and with only devices recommended for this product.

*Ethicon represents the products and services of Ethicon, Inc., Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC and certain of their affiliates. Ethicon, LLC is the legal manufacturer of EVICEL™ and DERMABOND® PRINEO®. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.